This is your “Heritage of the Future”

Notes from the President

a) Tsunami Continues

The tsunami of inappropriate development and the permanent damage it is causing to Fremantle is accelerating.

The building above just finished at 50 Pakenham Street is designed by the same company that designed 52 Adelaide Street, the 8 storey block of flats that were refused by JDAP (Joint Development Assessment Panel) and will now be taken to the State Administrative Tribunal.

The building above never even went to full council for approval. It was passed at a planning meeting by Mayor Pettitt and councillors Nabor, Fittock, Waltham, and Massie.

In this writer’s opinion the finished result is utterly unsympathetic to the important West End it sits in, dominates its neighbours, and should never have been approved in its current form. It reeks more of legoland than the future heritage of the West End.

There is a very good reason why four storeys are not allowed on the street front in the West End because the predominant scale of the West End is one, two, and three storeys, but the developers argued that because there was an adjacent building of similar height they could break the rules. The top floor seen here is objectionable.

The heritage staff at Council, the council’s Design Advisory Committee, the Heritage Council, and council itself have spectacularly failed again to give us the ‘heritage of the future.’ we were promised.

According to the Herald ‘an anonymous society member’ complained to them that the tsunami reference ‘didn’t help the cause.’ What doesn’t help the cause is when members sit back and allow this obvious damage to continue week after week.

As famous architect Robin Boyd said ruining his television show decades ago: “One of the essential things in any building design is a look of inevitability, as if it couldn’t be designed any other way.”

He also said: “Bad building is in some sort of way committing a crime against society – it’s a sort of major act of vandalism.”

b) Where are we going? Quality Matters

At the AGM on Wednesday 7 December at 7pm at the Fremantle Tennis Club (corner of Parry and Ellen Streets) Society president John Dowson will give a presentation outlining the society’s work over the past year and the importance of aiming for high standards in decision making affecting the future of Fremantle.

c) King’s Square Plans

Despite the inaccurate story in today’s Herald about the Fremantle Society and the King’s Square plans, the Society will be working over Christmas to submit professional, analytical, and constructive views on what are the biggest plans ever put forward by Fremantle Council.

It is unfortunate the plans are being put out for comment at Christmas time. The community has until January 6 to lodge submissions.

d) Membership Renewal Forms

Please renew your membership ahead of the AGM which is on Wednesday 7 December. It helps with the organisation!

As a member I/we agree:
• to support and promote the Society’s objectives
• to abide by the Society’s Constitution
• to receive communications giving notices of meetings and events of the Society and at the discretion of the Society’s committee, like organisations.
I/we understand that:
• the Society undertakes to keep private my/our email address and phone number
• Society communications will normally be by email when an email address has been provided
• My/our rights and obligations as a member are defined in the Society’s Constitution and further defined in the Associations Incorporation Act 1987.
For more information about the Fremantle Society please email :
info@fremantlesociety.org.au

The Objectives of the Fremantle Society:
• To give responsible voice on matters affecting the overall character and development of the Fremantle area
• To encourage the improvement of the Fremantle area as a desirable residential and commercial district whilst retaining its unique character.
• To encourage the retention and restoration of buildings of historic and aesthetic value.
• To encourage the preservation of the natural heritage of the Fremantle area.
• To ensure that the new development complements established patterns, is of high architectural and aesthetic standards, and served the long-term interests of the area.
• To foster the development of the area as a major cultural, educational and entertainment centre.